This invention relates to a truss spacer and support for use in correctly spacing trusses during construction, and for supporting the trusses during construction and thereafter.
Premanufactured wooden trusses greatly facilitate the construction of buildings and other structures. While these premanufactured trusses are very strong and reliable in service, during construction they can topple if they are not properly supported. Moreover to ensure that the trusses perform properly in service, it is important to make sure that they are properly spaced. Presently when trusses are used in construction they are placed in position and lateral braces are nailed across the top chords of the trusses to maintain the spacing and position of the trusses. As the trusses are tied together in the structure, for example by applying sheathing, the lateral braces are removed. This temporary attachment and subsequent removal of lateral braces is time consuming and thus expensive. Moreover, while this method of lateral bracing supports the trusses during construction, it obviously provides no support after the braces are removed.
Various attempts have been made to help properly space and provide temporary support for trusses during construction. See for example, Baumker, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,829; Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,945; Dean, U.S. Pat. No. D 318,785; and Krueger, U.S. Pat. No. D 293,416. However, these have generally been elaborate devices that were too expensive and cumbersome to find practical application in the field. Moreover, these were typically temporary devices that had to be removed before construction was completed, with attendant labor costs, and thus they did not provide any post-construction support of the truss.
The truss spacer and support of the present invention helps provide accurate spacing between adjacent trusses, and helps support the trusses during construction to help prevent collapse of the structure while it is being constructed. It can be quickly and easily installed and does not require separate features. Moreover, the device can remain in place after construction, and thus provides additional support to the chords of the trusses, particularly against buckling forces.
Generally the spacer and support of the present invention is adapted to be installed between chords of adjacent trusses. The device comprises an elongate inverted U-shaped channel member having first and second ends. A tongue extends from each end of the channel member. Each tongue has at least one integrally formed nail thereon, and each tongue is adapted to overly the top of a chord member with the integral nail imbedded therein. A tab extends from each side of the channel member at each end. Each tab has at least one nail formed integrally thereon, and the tabs on each end are raked inwardly toward the opposite end sufficiently that the ends of the nails on the tabs do not project beyond the end of the channel member. The tabs are adapted to be bent to overlie the sides of the chord with their nails embedded therein.
The device can be quickly and securely attached to the chords of adjacent trusses without separate fasteners. The device accurately spaces the trusses, and supports the trusses during the construction process. The device has a low profile, and thus the devices can be left in place, so that they provide additional support to the chords in the trusses against buckling.
These and other features and advantages will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.